Air starting-gear for combustion-engines.



A. BU CHI.

AIR summe GEAR FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR- |5 IQIZ. 1,258,864. Patented Mar. 12 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- WITNESSES \I 20 I INVENTOR A.BUCHL AIH STARTING GEAR FO-FI COMBUSTION ENGINES.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. I5. I912. 1,95 4. I Patented Mar. 12,-1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I J' w' b WITNESSES /NVENTOR A. BUCHI.

AIR STARTING GEAR FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. I912.

1,258,86L Q Patented Mar.12,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- improvement the method 'of admitting and controlling seuch UNITED STATES P ATENT OFFICE;

straits 130cm,

OF WU'IEBTHUB, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOB: TO BUBdK-QUWJBBOS.-

DIESEL ENGINE COMPANY, 01" ST; LOUIS, MISSOURI, 'A CORPORATION 01' IIBSOU'BI.

- am STARTING-GEAR ron convenes-nannies.

mu ation a man Patent".

" Patented Mar. 1'2,"'1918 Application filed A a-1115,1812. seminuaaosa.

To all? whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED a citizen or the Republic of Switzerland, residing at WinterthunCanton of Zurich, Switzerland, have invented'gthe following-described new. and useful lmprovements in Air Startbig- Gears forCombustion-Engines'. a

he irgventionisja'ii irrgprovementgmstarlv ing com ustio'n' engines y means'o' a1 sure medium such ascompressed air,

mediumwhereby, as the engine mass jaocelcrates, the admission thereof may bereduced and the normal enime th causing e cy 3 er tain a suflicient temperature, by such; comres'sioii, to insure proper initial igmt'ion of the fuel. The invention also involves indendent features of valve and engine: control I so admitted may be exhausted so as to rellev'e andhence control the degree of com and of the construction and arr ement. of

- the parts thereof, as will hereiria; r; more compression from 2 to 3..

ful ll y appear. I he drawings forming. partof this application illustrate in diagrammatic manner the referred-mode of o eration 'of the present invention, Figure 1 eing a diagram of the functions of -the apparatus in starting an on e;

ig; 2 a top plan view of a type of valvegeari'ng for performing such function;

Figs. 3 and 4 elevation views partly in of the valve-levers and cams shown in Fig. 2, and representing the same in one position of control. Y

5 and 6 represent the same elements in a 'rther positionof control and Fig. 7' represents the compression relieving or controlling-member in a still further extreme position of control.

InFig. 1, diagram A, in full lines, represents a maximum admission of starting air from 0' to 1, with corres onding expansion.

followed by'a low or. neg igible compression from 2'to 3. Diagram; representsa-lower degree of-starting air. admlssion from 0'to '1, with corresponding expansion followed by a relatively hi her Diagram (1, in

, whereby the compression, gra dua.lly restored to attain the desired temfor i compressftjiu dthe starting-air haust valve 13,111- dottedilines,

dot and dash lines, represents a starting air admission qfzero and a normal com ression. These three diagrams, A, B and (1, represent successive efi'ects of the operation of the present invention in starting an engine, at first relieved, is

ition, simultaneously with a reduction of t air admission.

In. Figs. 2 to 7, the combustion cylinderis marked 4, and may be assumed to represent one or several cylinders of any type of combustion engine, but more especially an engine of the constant pressure type such as the Diesel engine. .Numeral 5 represents 'ort and valve which controls the admission of starting airto such cylinder or cylinders from any suitable source of compressed air, represented by an air pipe 6; and numeral 7 represents'a port and valve-by which some or part of the air ,be, caused by any suitable type of valveactnating mechanism adapted to operate them in proper phase with the motion of the piston and other parts, but they are preferably actuated as in the case illustrated, by the regular valve-gear system of the engine through which mally operated when running under "the combustion process. Such gear 'system may therefore comprise a valve lever 8 for the starting valve 5, and a lever 9 for the ex- 7, both'mounted. to rockon a common fulcrum shaft 10, orother suitable support, and arranged to be actuated by cams on a cam shaft 11, revolving forexample in the direction of the arrows. It will be. understood that shafts 10 and 11. maybe common to all of the cylinders of the engine the engine as awhole is norand may be provided with duplicates of the levers 8 and 9, foreach of the other cylindcrs, as well as with other levers and cam or eccentric operated connections for controlling other functions, according to the type or cycle of the particular engine with which the invention is used. It will also be understood, by those skilled in this art, that the cams may act either immediately on the valve levers, or through connections interposed for changing the speed or direction of the engine, or for other purposes. In the present case, the exhaust valve lever 9, is supplied with a friction roller 12, which is engaged during normal running with the cam 13; when the valve 7 is the normal ex haust valve the cam 13 is a normal exhaust cam. Adjacent to this exhaust cam, the cam-shaft carries an auxiliary cam 14, which may engage and lift a thrust element, which can be interposed between it and the end of the valve lever for actuating the latter. This thrust element is formed by the end of a link 16 pivoted to the crank arm 17 of a rock shaft 18 the latter being suitably supported and adapted for operation by any suitable form of handle or connecting rod 19, so that the thrust-element can be moved from itsretracted position indicated in Fig. 6, in which it is not operated by its cam, to positions such as indicated in Figs. 4 and 7 wherein it receives more or less of the thrust of such cam, imparting the same to the valve lever and through it to the exhaust valve 7, thereby causin either earlier or later closing of such va ve or a greater or less extent of such opening.- The cam 14 is designed to actuate or control the thrust element 16, at or during the period corresponding to the beginning of the normal compression stroke of the engine piston and when acting upon the valve through the thrust element serves to vent, .more or less, the contents of the cylinder at such time, according to the posltion of the thrust element 16, and thereby controls the degree of compression in the cylinder. Such thrust element may be provided with a friction roller 16, to engage the cam and a flat striking face 16*, by which to engage the -lever; it is also provided with a supporting leg 16 by which it may rest on a suitable support 20, when retracted. This leg may be adjustable in length and the support therefor may be shaped to guide the element into its active position between the cam and lever.

The starting valve lever -8 is actuated by i a cam 21, through a thrust element 22, which -.may be of simllar design and construction to the-element 16 above referred to, and pivoted to a crank arm 23 of the same rock shaft 18, and also provided with a similar leg upon which to rest on a guiding support such as 20. The rock shaft 18, it will be understood may be common to the thrust elements of all the cylinders of the engine, representing a means whereby the same control can be exerted-simultaneously upon all of them.

In its retracted position the thrust ele ment 22 (Fig. 5) has no operation on the starting lever 8, nor has the thrust element 16, Fig. (3, any operation upon the compression controlling member, and this is the position in which these elements remain during the normal combustion running of the engine. lVhen element 22 is interposed be- I tween its lever and cam, it causes the opening of the starting valve, producing a greater or less admission of starting air, in accordance with the extent to which such element is advanced from its retracted position, into its interposed position.

Figs. 3 and a may represent the positions of the two thrust elements when the engine is being operated by compressed air for starting it in motion, or other purposes. The air admitted through the port 5 and producing the working stroke of the engine piston, is exhausted after expansion and dur ing the following stroke by reason of the open position of the exhaust port 7 due to the action of the camli and thrust element. 16. The cycle thus corresponds to diagram A, above referred to. As the engine gains acceleration under the starting-air, the thrust elements are retracted toward the supporting shelf 20 and thereby the degree of starting air admission is reduced and simultaneously the degree of exhaust is also reduced, so that the compression is increased, according to the cycle represented by the diagram B. When sufficient velocity of the engine has been attained the elements are entirely removed from their interposed relation and the starting air will then have been discontinued entirely and normal compression will have been resumed, at which time the cylinder temperature will be sufiicient to insure reliable ignition of the fuel when. introduced. In Diesel type engines the residue of starting-air thus compressed in the cylinder will have sufficient tempera ture to produce ignition of the fuel on injection.

According to this invention, the control mechanism above described is adapted to valve lever and cam 14, thereby holding the I thereof,

2 principally 2&- en .e, that is to say,

air, of

exhaust valve open during the whole cycle period.

During normal running) of course the supply of starting air will e shut off .by having previously ,closed a supply cock 8 at the air bottle, qr'such as shown at 23, so 7, ,that such extreme movement of the control mechanism and possibly the consequent opening of the starting valve, will result in no motive eflect'upon any iston of the en- "io" gins." This feature whi e incidental to the principle of my inventi ii, will be observed to be also capable of use indfipendently he described arran eme" of thrust membe in the form of lin s whichare ad- 16 vanced endwise into position to relieve the compression, heingiespecially simple aiicf v'sonvenient.

-Itwill ,.be observed Irom the foregoing that while the control mechanism relates to the starting and stopping of cthe engine, the same handle or connecting such as 19, may also, by its movement beyond that required for starting, serve to control the normal running functions of the I. such member may contro the amount, or the time, of fuelinjec- .t io n 'i'n'a constant pressure engine, so that theentire control of the engine can be represented b a single leve hand-wheel, or tog-the like; 1 t will-also be observed that the .lfiuictions above described are ca able of be- Lin carried out in a variety of di erent ways w thin the scope of the invention and that 7 ,there is. no intentional limitation herein to form or location of valves nor the'construction ofany of the parts exeept"as pointed out in-the claims hereto.

@1 claim, I p I L Air-starting iear for combustion en- 40 comprisiiig t e combination with the e c lmd'er and piston of a valve in con ti'o oi t e cylinder compression, a valve for j 'tting starting-air to the cylinder, and

rollin means adapted for simultaney an inversely varying the de ee of "'pression and admission of starting-air. 2. Air-starting gear for combustion engines comprising 1n combination with thecylinder, istonand asource of compressed an of in ct and exhaust ports for leading air to and from the combustion cylin der, suitable gearing for controlling such Its In phase with the motion of the pis- I 5 ,1-and means'for simultaneously decreasmg thedegree of the admission and exhaust through such ports. I"

p tarting gear v--coinprising in combination with the engine "cylinder or cylinders and. a source ofcominlet and exhaust valves to v such an to and exhaust it from the combustion cylinder or cylinders, an enginecam system for operating-said valves for variably affectin open for combustion engines;

ation to decrease the degree of air admission and exhaust, whereby compression may be "restored as the admission is diminished.

4. Air-starting gear for combustion engines comprising the' combination ofthe normal valve-operating mechanism of the engine and valves 0 in a valve for admi ting starting-air and a va ve suitable for relieving the cylinder compression, and means interposable between such valves and valve-operating moch anism for varying the degree of admission of starting air inversely to the degree of compression.

5. In air-starting gear for combustion en- ",p, es, the combination of the normal val efirming system of the engine and the valves operated thereby, including a start in valve, and a compression-controlling va ve, and means for decreasing the admission of starting air while increasing the com ression, comprising normally retracted mec anism adapted to be variably advanced into cooperation with said valve-operating system.

6. In air'starting gear for combustion engines, the combination with the engine cylinder and, piston, of a starting-valve, and means .for actuating the same in phase with the piston, and means for controlling such device in such manner as to restore compression gradually to the cylinder, at the same time varying the actuation of the said starting-valve erated thereby includby its said actuating means so as gradually to reduce the admission of starting air;

7. In air starting gear for combustion en- ,"mes, the combination with the cylinders and pistons thereof, of air admission and exhaust valves operated in phase with the pistons to start t e engine in motion, and controlling means for such valves normally operable to vary the throw thereof and having an extreme adjustment for relieving the cylinder compression independently of the position of the engine parts.

8. In air-starting gear for combustion engines, the combination of starting air admis- Sion and exhaust ports, the same in phase with the engine an means for 'varyingthe openperiods of such respective ports, such means havin an extreme position in which it relieves t e cy1in-,

der compression.

9. The combination with the exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine, of a cam means for operating for operating the-same, a member adapted to be inserted between the cam and valve to relieve the engine compression, and means for operating said member, the relation between the cam, valve and member being at will, according to the osition to which the member is moved y its operating means.

10. A compression relief for internal com bustion engines, comprising in combination, a valve and a cam adapted to operate it, and a pivotally mounted link member adapted to be advanced in a substantially endwise direction between the valve and cam of such 10 size and range of movement as to open said In testimony whereof, I have si ged this specification in the presence of 'ivo Wit- IIGSSBS. ALFRED BUCHI.

Witnesses H. Dmeomn, AUGUST RUIGG. 

